Tips for Greener Wedding Transportation

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You may think your guests’ transportation options are out of your control… guess again! Your planning will have a direct impact on how much guests have to travel. The planes, trains, and automobiles guests use to get to your celebration will emit more carbon than everything else you use in your wedding combined. Planes are the real culprits. They emit more greenhouse gases per person than even the most inefficient cars on the road. Unless you have guests from New Zealand (like I did) you can eliminate plane emissions entirely by having your wedding in a central location. You can minimize the rest of your guests’ footprints by getting creative with your planning. Do you really need to have your wedding and reception on opposite ends of town? Consider the environment while you’re deciding on venues and keep your guests’ accommodations in mind to make the greatest impact (or lack thereof, as the case may be.)

Have Everything in One Place

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There is nothing wrong with having your ceremony and reception in the same place. In fact, it will make everything easier. You’ll only have to worry about decorating one space, your guests won’t get lost on the way to the party, and nobody will be driving after consuming alcohol. Make things even easier by having the event in a hotel ballroom. I got married in an old inn in Minnesota. It only had thirty rooms and wedding guests occupied every single one. It was a grand old house and I felt like a baroness hosting a grand party in my family’s home. Everyone came into town the night before so we had two nights to relax together, no traveling required!

Encourage Guests to Carpool

If you have guests coming from the same general area, encourage them to ride together. Not only is it an emission-saver, it will save them money on gas too. You can help facilitate the process by putting geographically close guests in touch with each other. If you have a wedding website, set up a comments page where guests can coordinate rides or post information about their travel plans.

Spring for a Shuttle

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If you have a lot of guests staying at a nearby hotel, consider hiring a shuttle to transport them to and fro. You’ll save lots of gas by putting them all in one vehicle and your guests will appreciate not having to drive themselves.